Bluesound announced hardware updates for its Bluesound NODE and POWERNODE this week, bringing the legacy into a 3rd generation of products for the line. Ditching the # + i badge, the new streamers opt for more generic capitalized nomenclature along with the higher end specs for the innards. This includes an additional 20w of speaker power for the Bluesound POWERNODE.
The PR release is quite detailed with all the changes, so lets get right to it:
Inside, the Bluesound NODE features a new audiophile-grade DAC design with notably improved performance that not only supports 24-bit/192kHz audio processing, but also MQA for studio-quality listening. Powerful, user-friendly software features like tone controls and subwoofer crossover optimization allow you to customize your listening preferences in detail. It is also equipped with an array of digital and analog inputs and outputs for maximum versatility. Bring music into your NODE using Wi-Fi or ethernet, Apple AirPlay 2, aptX HD Bluetooth, or USB Type A connectors, to hear audio content from streaming services, internet radio and your own music library. The NODE now features an HDMI eARC input on the back panel, to keep your setup flexible and future-friendly. Designed to be as comfortable in a two-channel TV system or gaming console as it is in an audiophile’s dedicated listening room, the NODE provides a hi-res experience no matter where it’s used.Listen to your music through your hi-fi system or through wired or wireless headphones, by connecting to the RCA, Toslink optical, aptX HD Bluetooth, 3.5mm jack, Apple devices, or other Bluesound or BluOS enabled players.
Bit-perfect music listening can happen away from your hi-fi system with the NODE as your multi-room hub. The award-winning BluOS platform is the only platform in the world that can support up to 64 players, all streaming in 24-bit hi-res audio. With a growing stable of brands and devices being added to the BluOS platform, the NODE opens up a world of hi-res listening options throughout your home that no other player can.
In addition to using the BluOS Controller app with your smart devices, quick access controls like play/pause, track skipping, and volume are available as touch panel controls, via voice assistants like Apple’s Siri, Amazon Alexa, or Google Voice, by programming your own IR remote or using the optional Bluesound RC1. The intuitive touch panel control with proximity sensor now also features 5 presets. Advanced controls, including tone controls are available in the BluOS Controller app. The NODE can also be integrated into a smart home with full-feature drivers for Lutron, Elan, RTI, Crestron, and other popular home control systems.
NODE Key Features and Specifications
Quad-core 1.8GHz ARM® Cortex™ A53 processor
32-bit/384kHz premium DAC design
HDMI eARC, optical & analog inputs
Stereo analog, optical, coaxial & USB audio outputs
AirPlay 2 for integration into Apple ecosystem
BluOS™ wireless multi-room music capability
MQA music and hi-res audio streaming
Voice control with Apple’s Siri, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
Dual-band Wi-Fi + Gigabit ethernet
Two-way aptX™ HD Bluetooth
IR remote learning capability, IR input, 12V trigger output
Wired & wireless headphone output
Wired & wireless subwoofer output
Touch controls with presets
Black or white finish
The Bluesound POWERNODE is the hi-fi amp reinvented for the streaming age, combining audiophile-grade componentry and multi-room music capabilities to create an intuitive “just add speakers” hi-res sound system for modern music lovers. Source, control, and amplification come packed into the compact and minimalist POWERNODE. Get the most out of your favorite speakers with an award-winning, audiophile-grade amplifier that features 80 watts per channel of zero-distortion power, tested in real-world listening conditions and not just in a lab. A high-grade DAC delivers up to 24-bit/192kHz of hi-res, studio-quality music, including support for FLAC, MQA, and other popular file formats. Access all the music ever recorded through the BluOS Controller app, connecting you to popular streaming services like Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, SiriusXM, and dozens of others, or from your own music library through Apple AirPlay 2, aptX HD Bluetooth, or even a network-connected drive or USB hard drive.
In one or many rooms, the POWERNODE is a versatile workhorse, placed either freestanding or in a custom installation rack, allowing you to toggle back and forth amongst a number of listening set-ups with a few taps in the BluOS Controller app. Looking for a traditional 2-channel audiophile listening experience? Just add a pair of your favorite speakers. Got a bass-heavy track you love? Add the PULSE SUB+ to your 2-channel set-up to create a capable and musical 2.1 wireless system. Want to kick back with some movies or video games? Bring a pair of PULSE FLEX 2i to the party as rear channel additions to your 2.1 system for a wireless Dolby® surround sound home theater experience. Want to listen to your favorite music in other parts of your home? Sprinkle other Bluesound players around your home for a multi-room audio solution.
The POWERNODE is equipped with an array of digital and analog inputs and outputs to give you ultimate connection flexibility. It supports HDMI eARC, dual-band Wi-Fi and Gigabit ethernet, Apple AirPlay 2, aptX HD Bluetooth receiver and transmitter, RCA, Toslink optical, 3.5mm jack, and USB Type A connectors. Bring music into your POWERNODE from dozens of internet radio and streaming services, Bluetooth devices, TV and gaming consoles, network or local hard drives, nearby Apple devices, CD players, and many others. Then send your music into your favorite speakers, other Bluesound players or BluOS devices, Bluetooth headphones, wired headphones, Apple AirPlay devices, or other network-connected speakers.
With BluOS built-in, easily create a DIY multi-room hi-res audio system with a few taps of the BluOS Controller app. Additional hands-free controls are available through voice assistants like Siri, Google Voice, or Alexa. For professional smart home installers, full-feature drivers are available for Lutron, Crestron, RTI, Elan, and other popular control systems.
POWERNODE Key Features and Specifications
HybridDigital™ amplifier platform powering 80 watts per channel into 8 ohms
Quad-core 1.8GHz ARM® Cortex™ A53 processor
32-bit/384kHz premium DAC design
HDMI eARC, optical & analog inputs
BluOS™ wireless multi-room music capability
Wireless Dolby® surround sound
MQA music and hi-res audio streaming
AirPlay 2 for integration into Apple ecosystem
Voice control with Apple’s Siri, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
Dual-band Wi-Fi + Gigabit ethernet
Two-way aptX™ HD Bluetooth
IR remote learning capability, IR input
Wired & wireless headphone output
Wired & wireless subwoofer output
Touch controls with presets
Black or white finish
Bluesound’s forward-thinking approach continues to push the performance envelope. The new NODE and POWERNODE feature a powerful ARM Cortex A53 Quad-Core chipset that processes audio 8 times faster than previous generations of Bluesound architecture. Not only does this processor boast all the power and speed required for the latest and greatest HiFi performance but these products are ready for whatever technologies the future may hold.
Retail pricing for the Bluesound NODE is $549 and $899 for the Bluesound POWERNODE. Preorders are available now with shipping expected to start in June 2021.
More info: Bluesound